Windows 10 Security Updates Extended to October 2027: What It Means for You

If you still run Windows 10, you may have 13 October 2026 in your diary as the day your free security updates stop. You can cross it out. In June, Microsoft quietly extended its Extended Security Updates (ESU) programme for personal PCs by a full year. Windows 10 home users can now get security fixes until 12 October 2027.

This guide explains what changed, who qualifies, how to enrol in the UK, what ESU does not cover, and how to decide when to move to Windows 11.

What changed – the key dates

Microsoft’s explanation was short: moving to a new PC can take time, so the programme for personal devices gets an additional year. Businesses have their own ESU programme, which they can buy for up to three years (until October 2028) at a price that rises every year.

Who qualifies for Windows 10 ESU

Your PC must meet four conditions:

• It runs Windows 10 version 22H2 in the Home, Pro, Pro Education or Workstations edition.
• The latest Windows updates are installed.
• You sign in with a Microsoft account that has administrator rights. If you use a local account, you need to switch to a Microsoft account first.
• The account is not a child account.

One ESU licence covers up to 10 devices signed in with the same Microsoft account. That is handy if you have several older PCs at home.

How to enrol in the UK

1. Open Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update.
2. Install any pending updates and restart if asked.
3. Look for the Extended Security Updates notice and choose to enrol.
4. Pick one of the three options: sync your PC settings with Windows Backup (free), redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points (free), or pay the one-off fee.

A note for UK readers: in the European Economic Area, Microsoft offers ESU free of charge to anyone who signs in with a Microsoft account. The UK is not part of the EEA, so UK users choose one of the three standard options above. For most people, the Windows Backup option is the easiest free route.

What ESU does not do

ESU keeps Windows 10 patched against security holes. That is all it does:

• No new features. Windows 10 will not gain anything new, including the AI features Microsoft is building into Windows 11.
• No bug fixes or support. If something breaks that is not a security issue, Microsoft will not fix it.
• Other software moves on. Browsers, security tools, games and business software set their own support timelines, and over time more of them will drop Windows 10.
• It ends. Microsoft has now extended the programme once. Planning for a second extension would be a gamble.

Stay on Windows 10 for now, or upgrade?

The extra year gives you a choice. Here is how to make it:

• Your PC meets the Windows 11 requirements: upgrade. For eligible PCs running Windows 10 version 22H2, the upgrade to Windows 11 is free. Check under Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update.
• Your PC does not meet the requirements: enrol in ESU and use the year to plan a replacement, ideally before the 2027 rush.
• You are building or buying a PC without an operating system: you need a Windows 11 licence. Go straight to Windows 11 – there is no reason to install Windows 10 on new hardware.
• You use your PC for work: consider Windows 11 Pro. It adds BitLocker drive encryption, Remote Desktop hosting, Group Policy and Hyper-V. Our guide to Windows 11 Pro vs Home explains the differences.

Windows 11 minimum requirements

Many PCs that fail the check only need TPM or Secure Boot switched on in the firmware settings. It is worth checking before you write off an older machine.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

When do Windows 10 security updates end now?

For personal PCs enrolled in Extended Security Updates, on 12 October 2027. Microsoft moved the date back by one year in June 2026. Without ESU, Windows 10 has received no security updates since 14 October 2025.

I enrolled before the extension. Do I need to enrol again?

No. Microsoft says PCs that are already enrolled stay covered until the new end date automatically.

Is Windows 10 ESU free in the UK?

It can be. UK users can enrol free of charge by syncing their PC settings with Windows Backup or by redeeming 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points. The alternative is a one-off payment of $30 or the local equivalent. The unconditional free option applies only in the European Economic Area, which does not include the UK.

Does ESU work with Windows 10 Pro?

Yes. The consumer programme covers Windows 10 version 22H2 Home, Pro, Pro Education and Workstations.

What happens after 12 October 2027?

Windows 10 home PCs will stop receiving security updates. The PC keeps working, but every newly discovered vulnerability stays open. For anything connected to the internet – especially online banking, email and work – that is a real risk.

Is the Windows 11 upgrade still free?

Yes, for eligible PCs running Windows 10 version 22H2 that meet the Windows 11 hardware requirements. You only need to buy a licence for a new build, a PC without a valid licence or an upgrade from Home to Pro.

Sources: Microsoft – Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates, Microsoft Support – Windows 10 support has ended, BleepingComputer – ESU extended to October 2027. Last updated: 6 October 2026.